Government braced for ID card vote
Newly installed Home Secretary Charles Clarke faces potential embarrassment later today as MPs vote on controversial plans to introduce ID cards.
The Government has faced tough opposition to its proposals, most notably from its own MPs.
Up to 30 Labour backbenchers could rebel against the three-line whip and vote against the measures.
The vote comes less than a week after David Blunkett, who was a strong supporter of ID cards, was forced to resign.
His replacement, Charles Clarke, faces a busy legislative programme with national security at the heart of Labour’s next election campaign.
But despite rumours that he was less than enthusiastic when the prospect of ID cards was first announced, Mr Clarke has vowed to carry his predecessor’s policies forward.
The Government claims that ID cards will have a number of benefits from improving security to tackling illegal immigration and benefit fraud. But, opponents – notably the Liberal Democrats – claim that ID cards have done nothing to prevent terrorist attacks in other countries like Madrid. They also claim that the true cost of the scheme is not clear and could end up being exceedingly expensive.
But, the bill will most likely go through after the Conservative Leader Michael Howard last week committed the Tories to supporting ID cards despite rumblings of discontent from his own benches.
